The present invention is directed to a gastrostomy device and more specifically to a gastrostomy tube assembly. While gastrostomy tube assemblies have been known in the past, a problem remains in the art in that leakage occurs around gastrostomy tubes in some patients. A typical use for a gastrostomy tube assembly is to feed patients in both hospital and nursing home settings.
Gastrostomy tube assemblies for long-term total or supplemental feeding have been widely used among the elderly population for several decades. The majority of patients who have such feeding tubes will not have any significant problems. However, certain groups of patients experience significant and persistent leakage around the tubes. The persistent leakage causes annoying skin maceration and patient discomfort. The use of inflatable balloons in connection with gastrostomy tubes is well known. However, even with balloon type gastrostomy tube assemblies, the persistent leakage still occurs. A typical prior art gastrostomy tube assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,901 issued Aug. 11, 1987.